When is McDonald’s not McDonald’s?

Here we have an Italian Minister granting a seal of approval to a McDonald’s burger. Clearly a marketing stunt, but who’s taking the most out of it? The Italian Minister claims that this initiative helps promote the Made in Italy brand and products. Critics say that McDonald’s brand is still the epiphany of junk food and mixing the American junk with Made in Italy the Minister washed out the Italian values.

In the end, though, I think McDonald’s is still junk-food-McDonald’s while Made in Italy, a brand of luxury and good, healthy, sane food, is the one losing by the combination. Is this the best way to promote Italian products?